Machine for recovering precious metals



Feb: 25, i930. J. M. SMITH 1,748,562-

IACHINE FOR RECOVERING PRECIOUS METALS Filed Oct. 26, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet- 1 N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 25, 1930.

J. M. SMITH MACHINE FOR RECOVERING PRECIOUS METALS Filed 001,. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 {M 5%??? 28' ii,

TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 25 1930 I l i r i JAMES M. sm'rn, or oRLANnoA LIF oRNIA," AssIG'NoH- F-onn mmi mb wimfi HAMILTO Nf-OF BERK LEY; CALIFORNIA r mn'on'mnronnncovnnmo rfancioos METALS:

Application: fild octob'er 2s, 1.928; Seria1f'No.-'-315,266'.

Thisinvention:residesinthe prov-isi'onof a removed,' and particularlyshowing'the' arsimplesand inexpensive? sampling machine rangement andconstruction ofjthe pan,

with which gold, platinum and; other; pre- 7. Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on-th-e cius meta1s=may be recovered more quickly, line 6'-6-0f Figure 5, I

y 51 easily; and-thoroughly-'than by-handor other. Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional {viewtaken 55'.

machine panning methodsu on the line 7 7- of Figure 4,-particularly An object-of theinventionfis:to provide showing thea'rrangementandconstruction a -machineiof thecharacter described which of one of: the agitating and rubbing memhas ai -large:capacity:forihandlingore and bers; p p e I ,IOI'b-YIPBRSQILOfilIS special -constructionandare Figure-8 is aVertical:sect-ionalview taken 60 rangement will {yield' a relatively great; on-the line-8 8 0f Figure-7, and. I amount ofprecious metals in acompar'atively Figure 9 is a sectionalview'tak'en on the short timerwitlo'utrequiringv undue effort line 9-9 of Figure 7. I I a I onithepartofthe'o-pflliatorr" v In the accompanying; drawings there is g 16 A'further-ob'ect is to provide a machine illustrated one form ofvmyinvention in which 6 ofvthel character 'describedwhic'h will- 'bef the machinecomprises pans 1. and 2 arranged small compact: and capable-of beingeasily inispacedsuperimposed relation onegwithin transported A the, other and havingspaced projectionsw 3- Another object 'is-t'o prOVideinQaKmaGhine onthe pan 2 whereby the pan 1' is supported 20 of thevcharacter describeda novel yet simin'- spaced relation to the pan'2for the most 9;

ple pan" construction. which; together vwith part and contacts with the pan 2 at the} center t-he"=,spe,cial meansfor agitating and reducing; portion thereof -onlya. The pan 1 is provided thedirt; prov-ides for a: quicker washingand centrally with a conical portionor member panningnaction with a greateryield,o pre- 4: and the remaining portion of the bottom 1,

cious metalsthan is possibleunder'anyother of the pan-in flat annular form is'provided panningprocesses. p v with a series of spaced perforations or open- Aestillv further obje'ct'is to provide ama 7 ings 5. whereby dirtand water may vpassfrcm chine ot-"the characterdescribed with which pan'l into pan 2. A heavy skeleton casting. goldand-other precious metals may be easily 6 is secured by a suitable fastening? tothe 3o recoverediifromiheavy; gravel as wellas from base ofthefconical portioni igand liesin closeispt finer dirtvwithoutrequiringundueexertion engagement with-theibottomvof the pan-2. on the partofthe operaton- Aisuitable catch mechanism generally desig.-

Other objectsiandadvantages willbeape 'nated by 8 isemployed to I hold" the pans parentduringgthecourse of the 'followingide' nested Cooperating with thispmeans is scriptionp f V g 7 combinedihandle andlatch member 9 which- In theacc zompanying draysfiings'forming av assists-in-holdingthe pans nested inproper part of this-specification and in' which like relation. By thisjarrangement the pan 1- numerals-are employed to designate'likepartsmay be. readily lifted-from: the pan-g2- or,- throughoutthesame,v y I placed inH-thepan QJduring'the'operation'O-f;

0: Figureil isa-topiplanyiew of my device,. the machineas-will beilater and-more fully 0;

Figure 2lisia verticallsectional View taken described, [the conical center portion l throughit'lie centero'fithe machine shoxyn incauses/the dirttto work towards the perfo: Figured, rated annularportioniof the pa-n, 1 during" Figure 3 is a fragmentary'sectional View: the operationiofthemachine. I

46; takenon therlinev3+3iofFigurei1; 1 -;Ai special means[mad'eiin accordancewith Figure l'is a top plan View of a'partfof this inventionis pr-oyidedifor reducing, the I the operating; mechanism: of the machine, dirt i gravel in the. pan lQwhi'ch means Figure od s a:Vertical sectional view'taken thisinstanceishand operatedisojaslto cause tlirough'the centerjofthe,machine, the op agitating and rubbing members toxmove" in 50 cratingsmechanismwand itskassociated parts a ci-rcul'arpathfincontactwith the perforated 9 portion of the pan, which members will also rotate on their own axes while being given said orbital movement. Although in this instance it is operated by a crank, it may be power driven if desired. This special means comprises a stud shaft 10 awhichis mounted in a tubular socket 11 carried by the casting 6 and projecting upwardly through the apex of the conical portion 4. The shaft 10 is fixed against rotationand serves as a support for a large spur gear 12, which is fixed on the upper end of the shaft and lies above the cone parallel with the bottom of the pan. The upper end of the shaft 10 also serves as a support for a rotatable circular frame, designated by the numeral 18, which frame carries a plurality of downwardly extending agitating and rubbing members designated by the numeral 14. In the present instance there are three of these members arranged in a circular series and said members move in a circular path on rotation of said frame.

The frame 13 comprises an upper circular plate 15 and a similar lower plate 16 secured together by bolts 1'? and nuts 18. The upper plate is provided with a central bearing 19 for the upper end of the shaft 10. A. suitable bearing member 20 is provided at the central portion of the lower plate and engages with a rounded portion 21 of the shaft 10. By this arrangement the plates 12 and 16 lie above and below the spur gear 12 with the result that the same may rotate freely on theshaft 10. At spaced points on their peripheries said plates are extended consid erably beyond the periphery of the spur gear in the form of cars 22 and the members 14 are carried by said ears. One of said ears,however, has an operating crank 23 fixed thereto whereby the frame 13 may be readily rotated.

The members 14 each comprises a vertical rotary shaft 24 mounted in a suitable bearing 25, which depends from the underside of the lower plate 16. A pinion 26 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft24 and meshes with the spur gear 12. By this arrangement the shafts 24-are rotated as the frame 13 is rotated, thereby causing the members 14 to rotate on their own axes as well as to'move in an orbital path. A suitable revolving lubricant cup 27 is carried by each shaft'24 andis arranged to prevent lubricant from running down into the pans. Suitably removably mounted on the lower end of each shaft 24 is a'circular flexible and compressible rubbing disc 28 preferably made of rubber and provided with notches 29 in its periphery. This disc is cupped and is in yielding contact with the perforated bottom of the pan 1. It is held cupped by metal plates 29fastened on the shaft 24 and functions to mash and reduce the dirt while it is rotating and moving orbitally in engagement with the bottom of the pan. Any dirt pressed beneath said disc 28 will be mashed and'forced V operations of panning.

through the perforations. By this action the dirt and gravel is reduced to fine form and pushed through the perforated bottom of the upper pan into the lower pan. Agitating spurs 30 extend upwardly from said discs 28 and assist in agitating and in breaking up and reducing the ore or dirt. The reducing action ofthe disc is enhanced by the serrated or notched periphery.

The operation of my device'is as follows The dirt from which precious metals are recovered, is placed within the pan 1 and by any suitable means (not shown) the pan is continuously suppliedwith a suitable quantity of water. The operator then by means of the handle 23 rotates the frame 13 and causes the members 14 to move in a circular path as well as to rotate upon their own axes. This latter action is by reason of the pinions 26 meshing with the spur gear 12.

The rubber discs 28 are moved and rotated while in yielding contact with the perforated bottom of the pan 1 and by this action of the said discs the dirt is broken up and reduced so that it will be forced through the perforations into the pan 2. Occasionally the frame 13 may be oscillated as well as rotated in order to quicken the dirt reducing action. The action of these members 14 is very much the same as the old rubbing action formerly used in the hand method, but of course it is-more effective and thorough in the rubbing and washing action. The gold and other precious metals are collected in the bottom pan 2 and the tailings with the water will run out over the edge of the pan 2 thereby freeing the pan 2 of the great portion of the dirt during the concentrating operation. When'the dirt has been washed from the pan 1 into the pan 2 said pan 1 is released and lifted from the pan 2 thereby making possible the final steps necessary to remove thegold or other precious metals from the bottom pan. This may be quickly done by pouring off the water and remaining dirt or tailings and following the methods usually practised in the hand hand panning methods is eliminated and a great yield of precious metals may be had with less effort than by hand methods.

i It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaims. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1.. In a machine of the character described, comprising washing pans nested one within the other and being spaced from one another except at the central portions-thereof where the bottom of the uppermost pan engages with the bottom of the lowermost pan, said uppermost pan having perforations in the bottom thereof, a conical member projecting upwardly from the center of the uppermost pan, a rotatable frame mounted on the upper end of the conical member, a plurality of downwardly extending rotatable shafts carried by said rotatable frame, a gear-fixed to said conical member, pinions on said shafts meshing with said gear and rubber discs fixed to the lower end of said shafts and yieldingly engaging the perforated portion of the upper pan. 2. In a machine of the character described,

comprising washing pans nested one within the-other and being spaced from one another except at the central portions thereof where the bottom of the uppermost pan engages with the bottomof the lowermost pan, said uppermost pan having perforations in the bottom thereof, a conical member projecting upwardly from the center of the uppermost pan, a rotatable frame mounted on the upper end of the conical member, a plurality of downwardly extending rotatable shafts carried by said rotatable frame, a gear fixed to said conical member, pinions on said shafts meshing with said gear and rubber discs fixed to the lower end of said shafts and yieldingly engaging the perforated portion of the upper pan, and a plurality of upwardly extending agitating spurs carried by said discs.

3. In a machine of the character described, comprising pans mounted one within the other and spaced apart except at the central portion thereof where the uppermost pan engages the bottom of the lowermost pan, means for .detachably holdin said pans thus assembled, a rotary mem er supported by and above the uppermost pan, a plurality of downwardly extending agitating members carried by the rotary member and having yielding contact at their lowerrends with the i bottom of the uppermost pan, the uppermost pan having perforations in the bottom thereof over which perforations said members travel, means for so moving said members, I and means for causing said members to rotate on their own axes during the movement thereof relative to the pan.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signature;

JAMES M. SMITH. 

